Bottle-washing machine



Dec. 27, 1927.

2 Sheets-Sheet. l

ATTEIRN EY- Dec. 27, 1927.

A. E. LADEWIG BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 26, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R D T E. v N

Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

warren STATE-S 1,653,638 PATENT ore-ice.

ARCHIE-EJLADEVIG, OE 'WAUKESHA', WISCONSIN, ASSIGIIOR, BY IYEESIIE" AS$IGZI MENTS, TO THE CREAMERY- PACKAGE MFG. COMPANY, OF CHICAGO; ILLINOIS, A

coaroaarron or ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-WASHING MACHINE.

Apphcation filed October 26,.1922,Scria1.

This invention relates in general to immovements in the art of automatically cleansing. objects in succession, and relates morespecifically to in'iprovementsin the construction and operation of machines for automatically washing bottles and the like with fluid.

An object or the invention isto provide a simple, compact and ctiicient machine for v automatically and thoroughly cleansing bottles and the like .insuccession;

Some of the more important s ecific objects oi the present invention are as follows v To provide a relatively simple and old cient bottle washer which willeiiectively clean bottles ofvarious shapes and sizes.

To provide an extremely compact bottle washing machine having enormous capacity. A To provide improved mechanism for transporting bottles through a cleansingmachine and for manipulating the bottles therein, without breaking or otherwise damaging the bottles.

To provide simple'andeffective means for automatically washing both the interiors and exteriors off a succession of bottles.

To provide improved driving and manipulating.mechanism for bottle Washing machines.

To provide improved bottle Washing mechanism which may be readily assembled and dismantled, and the various elements of which are readily accessible for inspection adjustment and cleaning.

To provide various other improvements in the -construction and operation or" bottle washing machines, whereby the cost of man- ,ture is reduced to a miniiinnn and the efiiciency is enhanced to a maximunr;

A clear conception of an embodiment of the present-invention and of the-operation of machines constructed in accordance therewith, may be had-by referring to'the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, in which like reference characters designate the same or; similar "parts'inth'e several views.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an improved bottle Washing machine, a portion of the structure having beenbroken away in order to more clearly illustrate details of construction-ot the mechanism.

Fig.- 2is afragmentary side view of the Not 596,931. Renewed Oct 011M115, 192s.

improved bottle manipulating mechanism, showing-one bottle which has just been inverted preparatory to interior cleansing thereof, and showing a finally washed bottle being discharged from the machine.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved bottle-washingmachine, showing an inverted lJOt-BlG being-sub ected to internal cleansing thereof. v

' Fig. 4: is a fragmentary" side View of the improved bottle manipulatingmechanism, showing one bottle being inverted, and showng a clean bottle being delivered fromthe inverted bottle holder to the reversing and final discharge shoe.

The improved bottle washing machine comprises in general,mechanism for urging bottles of various shapes and sizes in succession througlrthe machine, other mechanism for. automatically and thoroughly washing the exterio'rsof the successive bottles during their passage through the machine, and other mechanism tor automatically and effectively cleansing the interiors of the successive bottles'as they. are being transported through the Washer. These various mechanisms are supported by and substantially housed" Withina combined main frame and casing 2, and are driven by means oflpower derived from any snitable'source, applied to a main'horlzontal actuating-shaft l7 mounted inbearings supported by the casing'2.

The bottle transporting and manipulating mechanism compri'sesa longitudinally movable h'orizontal endless conveyer 3 adapted to receive'the unwashed bottles 11 and to urge them past the bottle exterior washing device, a transversely movable horizontal endless conveyor l eoo perable withthe con veyer 3 to manipulate the bottles 11 during externalcleanin'g, a transverse series of tilt able bottle inverting chutes'G adapted to receive the partially washed bottles 11 from the conveyer a'transver-se-series of tiltable bottle holders 7 adapted to receive the inverted bottles 11 from the chutes 6,.a transverse series'of stationary inclined guides 12 for receivingv the Washed bottlesll from the holders 7, and-a .tran-sverse series of movable bottle righting-shoes 9 adapted to receive the clean bottles 11 from the guides 12 and to deliver themdn uprightvposition upon a final receiving table 10. 'The endless conveyor. 3 is operable to'urge the successive bottles 11 forward beneath the exterior washing device, the conveyor 3 comprising a series of parallel horizontal transverse angle bars forming flights secured to and movable by endless bands, between stationary parallel confining walls 62 extending longitudinally of the stretches of the endless bands. The moving flights on the endless bands are adapted to advance the bottles 11, neck foremost, toward and beneath the revolving scrubbing brush 5 and from thence toward the inverting chutes 6. The conveyer automatically functions to rotate the bottles 11 about their own longitudinal axes during their advancement past the brush 5.

The tiltable bottle inverting chutes 6 are pivotally supported upon a transverse pivot shaft in longitudinal alinement with the passages between the guide'walls of the conveyer 3, and are swingable about the axis of the shaft 35 by means of a bell crank 33. The inverting chutes 6 are formed by a common base to which is secured a series of parallel upright walls the lower ends (31 of which are bent laterally to, engage and check the downward movement of the bottles 11 along the base. One arm of the bell crank 33 is pivotally connected with an end of the chute actuating lever 29 by'means of a link 32, while the other bell crank arm is pivotally connected with an elongated connecting member 23. The chute actuating 'lever 29 has its medial portion pivotally associated with a shaft 37 mounted in the stationary casing 2, and has its rear end provided with a roller cooperable with a chute tilting cam 30 carried by a revolving transverse cam shaft 15 supported in hearings in the casing 2. a The revoluble or tiltable bottle holders 7 are pivotally supported upon a transverse pivot bar 36 with their axes movable in the longitudinal paths of travel of the bottlesll, and are oscillatable about the axis of the bar 36 by means of an arm 31. The swinging extremity of the arm 31 carries a roller 34 which engages a .slot formed in the forward swinging extremity of the holder operating lever 13. The medial portion of the lever 13 isvpivoted upon the shaft 37 while the rear swinging end of the lever is provided with a roller cooperable with a holder tilting cam '28 carried by the revolving cam shaft 15.

The stationary inclined guides 12 are located in the planes of travel of the advancing bottles 11 below the holders 7 and are adapted to direct the bottles upon the righting shoes 9. The shoes 9 are carried by swing able arms 22 carried by a pivot- 24 which is movable by means of an arm 27. The swinging extremity of the arm 27 is pivotally connected with the lower extremity of the connecting member 23 the upper extremity of which is associated with the bell crank 33 as previously described. lVhile the final receivbottle transporting and manipulating mecha nism, it will be obvious that this mechanism is automatically operable from the revolving cam shaft 15. The actuatin power is delivered to the cam shaft 15 irom the main power shaft 17 through a worm 16 coacting with the worm wheel 14 secured to one end of the cam shaft 15. The worm gearing thus provided causes a considerable reduction in speed between the shafts 17, 15, with the result that the cams 28, 3O revolve slowly and periodically perform their intended functions.

The mechanism for automatically washing the bottle exteriors, as the bottles 11 are transported in series by the eonveyer'3, comprisesa rapidly revolving cylindrical scrubbing brush 5 extending transversely across the top of the machine in a well known a manner. The brush 5 is driven from the main drive shaft 17 through bevel gearing 25 and a chain drive 26, shown in Fig; 3. The periphery of the rapidly revolving brush 5 is engageable with all portions of thebottles 11 as they are moved longitudinally beneath the brush by the conveyer 3 and are simultaneously rotated about their own axes, by the conveyert. V

The mechanism for automatically cleansing the interiors of the'inverted bottles 11 while positioned in the holders '7, comprises a series of vertically reciprocable spray nozzles 8, and mechanism 20 for automatically delivering'cleansing fluid to the interiors of the inverted bottles through the nozzles 8. This automatic bottle interior cleansing V mechanism is of well known construction as shown in Patent l lo. 1,182,597, granted May 9, 1916, and forms no part of the present invention except in combination with the bottle manipulating mechanism. The nozzles 8 are guided for vertical and simultaneous reciprocation, by means of at carrier 21 slidably supported in stationary.

in motion by means of'power applied to the main driving shaft 17. The unwashedbOtties are then delivered in, horizontal position and in succession to the transporting conveyor 3, the successive bottles being,

urged forwardbetween-the walls 62 toward the rapidly revolving brush 5. As the horizontally disposed bottles 11 engage the transverse conveyer 4 they are spun about their own axes thereby permitting the brush 5 tothoroughly scrub the exterior surfaces of the advancing bottles. The partially washed bottles. 11 are eventually delivered in succession over the forward end of the conveyor 3 and upon the inclined inverting chutes 6 down which they slide and assume positions between the walls (30, and upon the lower ends 61 thereof, as indicated in When the bottles have been thus positioned in the chutes 6, the revolving. cam 30 automatically engages the rear roller bearing end of the'lever 29 and tilts the chutes 6 about the pivot shaft 37 to vertical positions as indicated in Fig. 2. During forward tilting of the chutes 6, the bottles 11 are automaticallydropped in inverted position into the adjacent holders 7, while the nozzles 8 are withdrawn, after which the empty chutes 6 are automatically returned to normal inclined position preparatoryto receiving subsequent-bottles 11 delivered from the conveyer 3. 7

After the bottles 11 have been inverted and positioned in the holders 7 as shown in Fig. 3, the nozzles 8 are automatically elevated through the holders 7 and through the necks of the bottles and cleansing. fluid is simultaneously autoniatically delivered against all portions ofthe interiors of the bottles to thoroughly wash and rinse the internal bottle, surfaces. Thev nozzles 8 are preferably moved upwardly a fixed distance, and the bottles 11 being washed, are relatively short, the nozzles 8 automatically lift I the bottles upwardly away from their supports during internal washing. After thorough injection of cleansing fluid, the nozzles S are auton'iatically retracted causing the bottles 11 to again rest within the holders '4'. When the nozzles 8 have been completely withdrawn from the bottles and the holders 7, and the cleansing fluid has drained from the washed bottles, the revolving cam becomes effective by virtue of engagement with the lever 13 as indicated in, Fig. l, to tilt or revolve the holders 7 about the axis of the pivot bar Upon sufiicient tilting of the holders 7, the clean bottles 11 eventually slide downwardly over the stationary guides 12 and upon the shoes S) as illustrated in Fig. 4, the bottoms of the bottles resting against the curved rear edge of the receiving table 10. The empty bottle holders 7 are subsequently automatically returned to normal vertical position motion of the chutes 6 to like position. In this manner, the successive bottles 11 are automatically and gently conducted through the washer and are effectively cleaned-during normal operation of the various mechanisms.

While the construction and operation of various mechanisms for actuating the bottle transporting and manipulating devices have been described in detail, it will be. obvious that tnese mechanisms are capable of considerable modification in structure without departin from the scope of the present invention; The improved machine is capable of effectively cleaning" bottles of various shapes. and sizes, and the bottles 11 being simultaneously treated need not be of uniform shape or size. The machine is extremely campa-ct when compared with prior devices of similar capacity, and is entirely automatic in its operation. The various ele ments of the structure are relatively simple, readily adjustable to effectively perform lil) their functions, and conveniently accessible for cleaning or removal. The successive bottles which are ordinarily constructed of glass or other extremely brittle material, are gently conducted from place to place through the machine, without danger of breakage or other damage. The improved machine may be manufactured at relatively low cost and is operable with minimum powor and attendance. I

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit theinvontion to the exact de tails of construction and of operation of tin mechanism. herein shown and described. for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art;

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent 1. In combination, a holder formed to support a bottle in inverted position, means for transporting a bottle resting upon its side and with its neck foremost toward the upper end of said holder, a tiltable chute formed to receive the bottle from said transporting means and to deliver the same in inverted posit-ion to said holder, a cleansing element movable upwardly into the bottle while supported by said holder, means for revolving said holder in one direction to discharge the cleansed bottle and in the opposite direction to return said holder to bottle receiving posiand with its neck foremost toward the upper end. of said holder, a tiltable chute termed to receive the bottle from said transporting means and to deliver the same in inverted position to said holder, a cleansing element movableupwardly into the bottle while supported by said holder, and means for revolving said holder in one direction to discharge the cleansed bottle and in the opposite direction. to return said holder to bottle receiving position.

3. In combination, means for holding a bottle in inverted position, means for transporting a bottle toward said holding means, means for setting a bot le delivered by said transporting means in said holding means in inverted position, nieans for cleansing the bottle while supported in said holding means and means for swinging said holding means in one direction to discharge abottle therefrom and in the opposite direction to return said holding means to bottle receiving position. V

4. In combination, a bottle holder formed to support a bottle in inv rted position,

means for transporting a bottle toward said holder, a chute for setting a bottle delivered by said transporting means in said holder in inverted position, means for cleansing the bottle while supported in said holder and means for swinging said holder in one direction to discharge a bottle therefrom and in the opposite direction to return said holder to bottle receiving position.

5. In combination, a bottle hold-er swingable in opposite directions about an axis, n'ieans'tor transporting bottles in succession successive bottles from said transporting bottles in succession toward said holder, a tiltable chute for receiving the successive bottles from said transporting means and for delivering said bottles to said holder in inverted position, and means for cleansing the successive bottles whilesupported in said 7 holder.

7. in combination, transporting means formed to convey bottles in succession toward a common point of discharge, a tiltable a tiltable chute for setting bottles discharged by said transporting means in said holder in inveted position, and means for internally cleansing the bottles while supported in said holder. I

9. In combination, bottle transporting means, means for externally washing the successive bottles being conveyed by said transporting means, a bottle hold-er stationed below the discharge end of said transporting means, means for receiving the bottles discharged by said transporting means and for placing said bottles in succession in said holder in inverted position, means for internally cleansing the successive bottles supported by said holder, and means for moving said holder in one direction to discharge the successive bottles therefrom and in the oppo site direction to return said holder to bottle receiving position. toward said holder, means tor receiving the 10.111 combination, bottle transporting means, means for externally washing bottles while being conveyed by said transporting means, a bottle holder swinga-ble about a horizontal axis and stationed below the discharge end of said transporting means, a chute tiltable about a horiz-iontal axis to set the bottles discharged by said transporting means in said holder in inverted position, and means for internally cleansing the bottles while supported in said holder.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is aiiixed hereto.

ARCHIE E. LADEWIG. 

